Posts Tagged ‘Technology’
Saturday, November 30th, 2024
Happy Computer Security Day!
It’s Computer Security Day.
Do you feel like you’re safe? I’ll bet NAY!
Thieves with bots? There are many
Who’re after each penny.
You don’t use your antennae? Oy Vey!
Tags: Bots, Computer Humor, Computer Limerick, Computer Security, Computer Verse, Money Humor, Money Limerick, Security Humor, Spam Poetry, Technology, Technology Humor, Technology Limerick
Posted in Computer Humor, Limericks, Money & Finance Humor, Robot Humor, Technology Humor | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 19th, 2023
Yesterday, I had a rather disturbing experience while playing with one of the sundry AI bots. It confirmed a concern I had the minute I started hearing about all those sundry technological “marvels.”
Google’s BARD, recently featured on 60 Minutes, was the one I was experimenting with yesterday. (I’d previously spent a little bit of time with ChatGPT and found (much to my relief) that it was terrible at creating limericks.
Anyway, yesterday I asked BARD to “write a limerick in the style of Edward Lear.” Almost immediately, it responded with an excellent and very famous limerick generally attributed to this fellow: Arthur Henry Reginald Buller.
Here’s the limerick, which many of you are likely to recognize:
“There once was a lady named Bright,
Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day
In a relative way,
And returned on the previous night.”
(The bot did NOT credit any author.)
I gave this response a negative review and, when asked why, I explained that the limerick was completely plagiarized.
I then asked BARD to write a limerick about Donald Trump, wondering if it would steal another limerick. Instead, it responded “I’m a text-based AI and can’t assist with that.”
Finally, I asked BARD for a limerick about the weather. It churned out three limericks that were lousy, but not nearly as bad as the ones produced by CHATGPT. In both cases, a quick Google search didn’t yield any evidence of theft. On the other hand, if they were stolen, they were stolen from very bad and (hopefully) obscure limerick writers.
UPDATE: A friend suggested I try the same query again, but add the word “original.” So just now I posted this request to BARD: “Write an original limerick in the style of Edward Lear.” Alas, it churned out the same famous limerick that it “wrote” yesterday. So not only did the word “original” make no difference, but the bot failed to learn from yesterday’s negative comment.
Tags: 60 Minutes, AI, Arthur Henry Reginald Buller, Bard, Bots, ChatGPT, Computers, Donald Trump, Edward Lear, Google, Limericks, Plagiarism, Technology, Weather
Posted in Computer Humor, Limericks, Technology Humor, Writing & Publishing Humor | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
I usually post my multitasking humor here. However, since my latest multitasking limerick (Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Texting?) has some political overtones, I’ve posted it in my political humor blog instead.
Tags: Cars, Driving, Law Humor, Technology, Text Message Humor
Posted in Car & Driving Humor, Computer Humor, Legal & Lawyer Humor, Limericks, Technology Humor | Comments Off on Either Drive, Or Text, Okay? (Limerick)
Thursday, June 25th, 2009
My Advice To Spammers
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear spammers, I wish you’d take heed.
A spell-check is something you need.
Though I’m surely no Freud,
You should really avoid
Sending “greeting” cards spelled more like “greed.”
Feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, please join my friends in that same activity in my limerick-offs.
Tags: Computers, Email, Freud, Greeting Cards, Limericks, Spam, Spelling, Technology, Writing Prompts
Posted in Advice Humor & Poems, Communication Humor, Computer Humor, Email Humor, Internet Humor, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Poetry & Prompts, Spam Humor, Technology Humor | 14 Comments »
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
Luddite Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A hard-working author named Fink
Insisted on writing with ink.
He hated computers
And called them polluters.
Some claim he’s our long Missing Link.
By the way, in addition to being a recovering lawyer, I’m a recovering luddite and recovering technophobe. In fact, the first anthology my essays ever appeared in was Minutes of the Lead Pencil Club: Second Thoughts on the Electronic Revolution.
(Feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, please join my friends in that same activity in my limerick-offs.)
Tags: Authors & Playwrights, Computers, Electronic Revolution, Limericks, Luddites, Polluters, Technology, Writers, Writing Prompts
Posted in Books, Computer Humor, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Poetry & Prompts, Technology Humor, Writing & Publishing Humor | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
I couldn’t let the launch of Google-challenger Bing pass without a limerick:
Battle of the Search Engines
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A search engine yearns to be king.
Its name, for some reason, is Bing.
It’s Microsoft’s baby.
Hurt Google? Well, maybe.
Their quest? Lots of ad business bling.
Tags: Ad Revenue, Bing, Business, Computers, Google, Internet, Limericks, Microsoft, Money, Net, Search Engines, Technology, Web
Posted in Business Humor, Computer Humor, Limericks, Marketing Humor, Money & Finance Humor, Search Engine Tools, Technology Humor | 4 Comments »
Friday, March 13th, 2009
I’ve heard some bad violinists in my day … especially back when I substitute-taught elementary school music classes. But amazingly enough, this robot violinist (while lousy, of course) is better than your average fifth grade violin student.
In honor of the robot violinist, I’ve written a double limerick:
A Robot Violinist That Plays Better Than Your Kid?
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Fanatics may think it’s a sin
For a robot to play violin.
But its tone ain’t as bad
As some students I’ve had.
In a contest with them, it would win.
Yes it’s weak in vibrato and phrasing.
But its rhythm and pitch are amazing.
So you’re robot averse —
I’m still sure you’ve heard worse.
And if not, I shall brace for the hazing.
Tags: Children, Computers, Elementary School, Music, Music Students, Phrasing, Robot Musicians, Robots, Science, String Players, Substitute Teaching, Technology, Vibrato, Violinist
Posted in Children Humor, Computer Humor, Education & School Humor, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse, Robot Humor, Science Humor, Technology Humor | 6 Comments »
Monday, February 16th, 2009
Many Facebook users are angry or at least concerned about Facebook’s revised and more aggressive terms of service (TOS).
Consumerist has some good info here about Facebook’s perpetual content rights grab, and WebTechLaw explains the legal ramifications and what Facebook’s revised terms mean for your content.
I’ve never been a Facebook fan and now I like it even less. But at least it’s provided inspiration for a new limerick:
Facebook Face-Off
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Greedy Facebook has published new rules
Which play all its users for fools.
It’s a content rights grab—
A perpetual nab
Of your stuff just for using its tools.
UPDATE: Facebook has reversed itself about these new rules as a result of bad press and membership ire. I’ll be activating my account and I’ll see how it goes.
Tags: Content Rights, Copyright, Facebook, Law, Law Limerick, Technology, User TOS
Posted in Blogging Humor, Blogging Tips, Computer Humor, Copyright Infringement, Legal & Lawyer Humor, Limericks, Technology Humor, Writing & Publishing Humor | 6 Comments »
Thursday, February 12th, 2009
Perhaps I’m out of line, but I think that when you get behind the wheel of a gazillion pound motorized vehicle, turn the ignition key, get into gear, hit the gas, and begin to move, you should maybe … I don’t know … PAY ATTENTION.
This approach has many advantages. For example, if you carefully observe your fellow drivers, you can:
a: Pick up lipstick application tips from the woman going 65;
b: Place bets on how far into your lane the guy next to you will swerve while switching CD’s or poking his iPod; … (Multitask Madness continues here.)
Tags: Autos, Cars, Computers, Driving, Funny Columns, Multitasking, Technology
Posted in Behavior & Personality, Car & Driving Humor, Computer Humor, Humor Columns & Humorous Essays, Multitasking Humor | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, February 20th, 2007
Backup Blues
By Madeleine Begun Kane
They told me to back up my drive,
Which has crashed—it’s no longer alive.
Had I heeded their warning,
I wouldn’t be mourning
My data, which didn’t survive.
Tags: Backups, Business Satire, Computer Satire, Computers, Crashes, Hard Drive, Lost Data, Money Satire, Technology, Technology Satire
Posted in Business Humor, Computer Humor, Limericks, Technology Humor, Workplace & Career Humor | 11 Comments »
